First Meeting
by tea-induced scribbles
Summary: After months of endless travelling with the kids, Tom is forced to stop. Set before S4 and COMPLETE.


_A/N: I have many theories about how Tom ended up right where he needed to be in S4. But this one was the first one to come out my brain and onto the screen. Enjoy!_

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 **First Meeting**

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"Finish up, we got a long walk before we get-" Tom started to say when Ashley cut him off.

"No." Ashley said firmly, they sat outside a cafe that was situated in the hillside of a small fishing village in Greece. It was a beautiful place, but it wasn't home and Tom was restless to keep on with their travels. Tom looked to Sammy who had decided that his plate was the most fascinating thing in the world. Clearly he was staying out of it. So he looked to Ashley who wore a resolute expression.

"Excuse me?" Tom asked carefully, as Ashley had been slowing them down all day. Even now she was only halfway through her lunch but they'd been sitting for over half an hour. Daylight was wasting.

"I said 'no'," Ashley said quietly but firmly. "We've been walking and hitchhiking for months with no idea where we're going or why. I'm tired of moving, I just want to stay somewhere, why not here?" she demanded, he wasn't surprised by her impudence but was impressed with how calm she was speaking.

"Because, it's not where I want to be." Tom told her.

"Well, I don't want to be here in Europe but you made us come here." Ashley told him, her expression a mixture of homesickness and anger.

"We needed to get away." Tom told her.

"You needed to get away. Now, I'm done." Ashley said as she went back to calmly eating her meal. She clearly knew throwing a tantrum wasn't going to get her what she wanted. But what she didn't realise was that Tom wasn't ready to stop, he was in charge.

"Done?" he scoffed in amusement.

"Yes, I'm staying here." Ashley told him firmly.

"No, you're not." Tom said as calmly as he could muster as he was starting to get pissed off. He was the adult, he was in charge. He could understand her wanting to stop but it wasn't her decision.

"Yes, I am." She replied, she was going to be obstinate about it. Just like her mother when she reached her limit. His heart panged with grief as he wished Darien was here. But if she had survived, things would be very different. But they weren't and Darien was dead. He was at the end of his rope which was why they kept moving, he just wanted to find a place where nobody knew him. Somewhere, he could heal and be himself for a while. He wished he could explain it to Ashley but he could barely find the words himself.

"Ashley-" he started but she spoke over him.

"No, I'm done with you making choices for me. You go away all the time and the first time you really come home for good; you take us away from it to run all over the place and listen to that stupid ra-" Ashley had about to say radio when Tom lost it.

"Enough!" Tom boomed, his fist hit the table in frustration making Ashley, Sammy and the cutlery jump. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself as the radio was a sore spot for him. He knew it was pathetic, but he lugged the damn thing around and listened to it every night in the hopes of hearing someone call his name... he tried to not think her name... and when he wasn't trying to hear her voice, he was hoping for some mention of the Nathan James. It was stupid, but he couldn't let go even though he walked away. Part of him had remained on the ship.

"Look, fine!-" he had wanted to lay down the law but decided to concede instead. He couldn't drag Ashley and Sam around. If he were honest, they were running out of funds. "We'll stop here for a couple of weeks but we'll have to move on eventually. I'm going to go pay the bill." he told them in the calmest voice he could muster. He rose from his chair and walked into the establishment up to the register.

"Was everything ok with the food?" A woman in her late thirties with long dark hair and whiskey eyes asked. She had been their server throughout their meal but her name eluded him. She moved behind the bar to the register.

"Yes, I apologise for the scene." Tom told her, he wiped a hand down his face wondering not for the first time in months where the man he believed himself to be had gone.

"Mm, nothing I haven't seen before." she said with a soft dismissive manner, as if to say it was normal for people to get into heated discussions in her cafe. He didn't know why but her kindness in letting off the hook soothed him.

"Before I pay up, do you know of any hotels or people renting rooms to tourists?" he asked, she gave a chuckle that sounded almost musical to his ears.

"You're the first tourists we've had since the pandemic but if you're looking for a place to stay. Then look no further than Yaya's, her husband Alex." she tilted her head and Tom looked over his shoulder at a couple in their late 50's to early 60's.

The two seemed to be in their own heated discussion as Yaya threw her hands up in frustration and rolled her eyes at Alex. Both spoke robustly in Greek,so he had no clue what was being said but it was obvious that Alex was not making concessions to his wife. Alex placed his hands on Yaya's arms and spoke to her, whatever he said seemed to placate her as they two kissed and then smiled at one another.

"He has a fishing boat, he's looking for crew perhaps he'll let you trade labour for board and food."She suggested to him. Tom gave a nod acknowledging her info but also turning away from the seemingly happy couple.

"Thanks for the tip." he told her.

"You're supposed to tip me." she said with an amused smile. Tom chuckled and pulled out his wallet but before he could ask her how much. She waved dismissively at him. "It's on your tab, just go and talk to Yaya and you can repay with fish and some minor repairs that need to be done around here." she added.

"Ok, thanks..." Tom drawled waiting for her name.

"Cali," She told him.

"I'm Tom." he replied, she gave him a brilliant smile that was too infectious not to return. He thought maybe it wouldn't be so bad to stay here. Just for a little while...

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 **End**


End file.
